Shloka 47
Droṇa-parva Adhyāya 95 — Sātyaki’s Breakthrough and the Routing of Allied Contingents
अभ्रच्छायामिव शरै: सैन्ये कृत्वा धनंजय: । मुण्डार्थधमुण्डाउ्जटिलानशुचीज्जटिलाननान्
abhra-cchāyām iva śaraiḥ sainye kṛtvā dhanañjayaḥ | muṇḍārdha-muṇḍān jaṭilān aśucīn jaṭilān anān ||
सञ्जय उवाच—धनञ्जयः शरैः सैन्यमभ्रच्छायामिवाच्छाद्य, तत्र शत्रुसैन्यं दीनदशां निनाय—केचित् मुण्डाः, केचिदर्धमुण्डाः, केचिज्जटिलाः, बहवोऽशुचयः विकीर्णकेशाश्च; त्रासपराजयचिह्नैः समन्तात् युद्धमर्यादा व्यपगता।
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how, in war, disciplined martial identity can collapse under overwhelming force: fear and disorder manifest outwardly (dishevelment, neglect). Ethically, it underscores the harsh reality of kṣatriya conflict—prowess achieves tactical ends, yet it also produces human degradation and suffering.
Sañjaya describes Arjuna saturating the enemy army with arrows, likened to a cloud’s shadow spreading over the ground. The opposing soldiers are depicted as thrown into disarray and distress, appearing shaven or half-shaven, matted-haired, and unclean—visual markers of panic and defeat.